By Maemuna Sadaf,
Sri Lankan president Sirisena claimed the plotting of his assassination by Indian intelligence agency RAW. The Indian newspaper The Hindu reported in 16th October 2018 “Indian intelligence Agency RAW was engaged in the activities to assassinate him (President Meithripala Sirisena) but Prime Minister Narendra Modi may not aware of the plan. The Colombo correspondent of “The Hindu” Ms. Srinivasan has reported that Sri Lankan authorities are seeking “Chinese assistance to tap the evidence pertaining to the assassination plot.
This claim was mentioned in a story of “The Hindu”, just a few days before Ranil Wickremesinghe was scheduled to visit New Dehli. Later on, Mr. Sirisena rejected the report of the Hindu by saying that the Indian Secret Service was plotting to kill him but Modi may not know.
Looking into history, India is interfering in Sri Lanka’s internal issues since long. India and Sri
Lanka observed good relationship. India’s interference in Sri-Lanka started from Lankan Civil war. In December 2015, Sri Lanka’s Sunday Times newspaper reported saying links with common opposition had cost RAW station chief his job in Colombo. The Economic Times reported a statement of Chinese Scholar Lin Minwang regarding Indian Interference in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs. Mahinda Rajapaksa had held RAW among those for the change in regime following his defeat in 2015. According to Indian Foreign policy scholar Rajaul Karim Laskar, Indian interference in Sri-Lankan war became inevitable. In 2015, “Reuters” reported that “Indian Spy’s Agency role alleged in Sri-Lankan Presidential elections.” Colombo station chief of India’s spy agency RAW was accused of helping the opposition oust President Mahinda Rajapaksa. India denied the charges at that time.
In later 1980s and June 1987, Indian Air force dropped food, water, and weapons as the direct support towards rebels. Sri Lankan government accused India of this action. India directly helped the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The LTTE fought to create an independent Tamil state in the north and the east of the Island. Later on, India tried to block Chinese and Pakistani military hardware exports to Sri-Lanka. Pakistan was on the brink of finalizing the sale of JF-17 thunder Fighter aircraft to Sri Lankan air force but India’s counter offer of Light Combat Air Crafts Tejas. This counter offer became a hindrance in the Pak-Lanka defense deal. Reportedly, Indian Tamils and refugees entered in Island as visitors. It is estimated that Indian paid the US $ 6,000/- on Sri Lankan authorities for preparation of passports and Identity Cards for these insurgents.
Writing more, it is an open secret, that India is involved in insurgencies not in Pakistan but in other neighboring countries. “Times of India” reported that India is adopting a wait and watch stand on the ongoing political crisis in Sri-Lanka. However, India is trying to use media front as a mean to “Yellow revolution/ Asymmetrical warfare” by projecting that the President’s action is unconstitutional and the move to install Rajapaksa as the PM could lead to constitutional crisis. India always denies these accusations but it has been proved that Indian foreign policy is designed to gain power in the region. India always preferred conflict over trade. It spends a lot of money on insurgencies and military conflicts. India continues violating international laws by firing on Line of Control (LoC). India was involved in a conflict with Pakistan and in military conflict in the Doklam Region with China. On the other hand, India’s adventurism in Bhutan is also noticeable. India being “An Elephant in the Room” is trying to destroy the sovereignty of economical and militarily weak neighboring states.
Concluding more! 5% Of the Indian public are living below the poverty line. 1.77 Million People are homeless or living in one room. Regardless of worst living situations of the Indian public, India continues spending on insurgencies in neighboring countries. It is the need of the hour that India should revise its foreign policy. It should stop spending on insurgencies and conflicts with other countries.